With the recent deregulation of EU Roaming charges, do we have confirmation if the prepaid Lidl Connect Surf Karte / Data Sim (€15 for 5gb) includes EU roaming for no extra charge?

Also what is the roaming coverage/speed like for this?

Will be travelling to Germany and then France this summer and this seems like the best option, with the Vodafone Germany 'Smartphone Special' as an alternative (€9.99 for 1gb with EU roaming and good coverage/speed). I do not require calling/SMS, only data. Will be using the sim in my unlocked Sony Xperia Z3 D6633 Euro model.

Yes, you are right. Lidl Connect Surfkarte is one of the few offers in the German prepaid market, that blocks international roaming. You can't use it abroad.

That's one of the tactics providers use to avoid "roam like at home" scheduled to start in June 2017 in the EU. Some German operators have already implemented it. But the cheapest data offers like Lidl Surfkarte will not be included.

We'll have to wait until this summer to get the whole picture. Are more providers opt out by blocking internatl. roaming? I mean it can be good for some users to have a domestic plan only, but it undercuts the whole idea of "free" roaming.